Press Release-IV-14-001, NRC to Meet with Officials from Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant

Press Release-IV-14-001: NRC to Meet with Officials from Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant

ML14015A194
Person / Time
Site:	Wolf Creek
Issue date:	01/15/2014
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region IV
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-IV-14-001
Download: ML14015A194 (1)

Text

No: IV-14-001 January 15, 2014 CONTACT: Victor Dricks, 817-200-1128 Lara Uselding, 817-200-1519 NRC to Meet with Officials from Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will meet with officials of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp. on Jan. 22 to discuss the licensees progress in addressing safety conscious work environment concerns. The plant is located north of Burlington, Kan.

The meeting, which will be open to public observation, will be held from 1-3 p.m. in the NRCs Region IV office at 1600 East Lamar Blvd., Arlington, Texas. Members of the public can also listen to the meeting by calling 1-888-566-5789.

On Aug. 19, 2013, following inspections and interviews with plant workers, the NRC issued chilling effect letter after determining a chilled work environment exists within the Quality Assurance (QA) group at the plant. A chilled work environment is one in which workers are hesitant to raise safety concerns for fear of retaliation.

The company responded with a letter a month later outlining actions it is taking to address the concerns and ensure they facilitate a strong safety conscious work environment. At the meeting, company officials will provide an update on their progress.

On May 15, 2013, the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) found that Enercon, a Wolf Creek contractor, fired a worker for raising concerns with how work was being performed at Wolf Creek.

The NRC considered OSHAs finding and decided to issue the chilling effect letter as the firing might affect the willingness of other workers to speak up on nuclear-related projects at the plant. In order to ensure safe operations at a plant, it is imperative that workers feel encouraged to raise safety concerns.